Partnership Administration and General HR

Students will have scholarly and theoretical knowledge related to their fields of study, and transferable skills in areas such as research, writing and analysis. Additionally, students may have technical, industry- or job-specific skills depending on their program of study. Many students also acquire important knowledge, skills and experience by participating in extracurricular activities and part-time or summer employment. Under your direction, they will be able to hone their abilities while meeting your needs. Typical skills and abilities include:

Universities differ on the types of programs they offer and whether EL partnerships are available. For example, at the University of Waterloo you will be able to recruit students with skill sets developed from over 120 different programs from the Faculties of Arts, Environment, Engineering, Science, Applied Health Sciences, and Mathematics.

Most universities will provide the opportunity to post a tailored “job” posting for your EL opportunity. This posting can outline the specific job-related or technical skills as well as experience you are looking for. In brief, you should:

• Define your needs;
• Identify:
  • The academic discipline(s) you are targeting;
  • The academic level of the student(s) you are hoping to recruit;
  • The skill(s) and experience(s) you prefer;
  • Compensation (if applicable);
  • The start and end date of the position; and
  • The location.

You should keep in mind that students might have limited professional experience. However, many students will have obtained a lot of valuable experience through part-time work as well as extracurricular involvement in campus clubs, organizations and student government. The goal of EL is to enable students to bring their academic education to real-world situations while benefiting you and your organization.

Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) has developed recruiting ethics guidelines to support successful student recruitment.

Formalizing your partnership is a best practice that will help ensure that each party’s expectations and responsibilities are clear and aligned. Further information is available in Negotiating the Partnership.

Universities and external organizations should develop a collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship. As an external organization, you should be actively involved in the development of the partnership and negotiating the planning, design, implementation, evaluation, and recognition of the EL opportunity.

Key topics to consider include:

• Placement description overview;
• Term and termination;
• Insurance obligations (please see our FAQ on Liability, Insurance and Risk Management);
• Indemnification;
• Intellectual Property (IP);
• Confidentiality and privacy;
• Relationship of the parties; and
• Dispute resolution.

EL partners may be required to regularly report on the progress of the student and/or provide a written evaluation at the end of the term. The Waterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education (WatCACE) has developed a supervisor toolkit that guides you through the EL process, giving tips and best practices for each stage of an EL opportunity, including evaluation and reporting over the course of the experience.

You may have the opportunity to co-design the assessment(s) with the university. The University of Guelph offers a series of tools and best practices to embed reflection – a key component of student learning outcomes when engaging in hands-on work experiences – into the EL partnership. The Australian Collaborative Education Network has resources available to design an assessment suited to your needs and the best interests of the student(s). In particular, the ACEN advises you:

• Be clear about workplace standards and expectations;
• Provide students with opportunities to reflect on the skills and knowledge they use in the workplace;
• Negotiate assessment tasks that are specific to your organization and the EL partnership; and
• Ensure that student assessments allow students to critically reflect on their experience.

Many universities require a site visit to ensure that external organizations and students fulfill their responsibilities. Check-in visits also occur. You should discuss this with the university when you are designing and formalizing your partnership.

Research has found that EL students are motivated by the opportunity to gain practical work experience, enhance their resumes, improve their chances of employment in the future, and explore the day-to-day life of working in particular industries and sectors. This research suggests that EL students are looking to clarify their own career interests and goals while setting themselves up for future success.

Additional research suggests that setting and managing student expectations is a key component of a successful EL partnership. This includes having clear and consistent communication throughout the process to reduce misconceptions and miscommunication.  

Universities will work with you to ensure that your partnership allows students to participate in meaningful work and experiences that contribute to the development of their skills by complementing their academic studies. Students may complete a final deliverable or project that they can highlight as part of a professional portfolio.  These expectations should be formalized during the recruitment and on-boarding phases.

External partners should be aware that discrimination based on a record of offence or police record check may contravene the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Commission provides interpretation guidelines (see Section K) and recommends that police record checks should only be requested in instances where it is a “reasonable and bona fide qualification” that is necessary for job performance. The Commission further states that individual assessments of the specific information in a report should be conducted with respect to the requirements of the position.

Research identifies the potential for intentional and unintentional human rights violations based on the use of criminal record checks for screening EL students.  For example, two recent cases occurred where students were unable to complete their EL placements due to outdated and arguably improper records of interactions with police. External organizations should take care to assess the circumstances of records contained within a police records check, paying particular attention to instances where any charges have been pardoned or dropped, as well as when the record is based on a mental health apprehension and/or community contacts (a.k.a. “carding”) policy.

In most cases the student is responsible for having an up-to-date police record check completed in advance of their EL placement.

Subject-matter training should be specific to your organization and the work that will be performed during the EL opportunity. The University of Waterloo has developed best practices for supervisors of co-op students, which can be adapted for other EL partnerships.

You should discuss and plan any specific skills development or training a student will need to work with you or that you plan to undertake with them when negotiating your partnership agreement.

Yes, you should contact your university partner should a conflict arise between you and the student.

Your university partner will have policies and procedures in place to address conflicts and/or disputes. Dispute resolution protocols can be addressed in your partnership agreement. For example, OCAD University has created a dispute resolution protocol stating the parties will “use reasonable efforts to amicably resolve any dispute which may arise.”

The procedures for prematurely ending your EL relationship should be clearly outlined in your partnership agreement.

For example, OCAD University requires at least 14 days written notice before terminating a placement and the external organization is required to consult with the university to provide the basis for ending the placement. The university is required to follow the same procedure.

Students in certain programs, especially those whose EL placements involve direct interaction with the public, are required to register with the governing bodies of their respective industries or sectors.

Universities may require that you indemnify them from liability arising from the partnership as part of your formal agreement. It is best practice to discuss such scenarios with your university partner as well as your own insurance provider and/or legal professional to determine student coverage.

Universities may also provide general liability insurance for their students for cases of third party claims. Such coverage will only apply in situations where the work or duties performed are part of the EL placement.

You should discuss such situations with your university partner prior to entering into a partnership agreement.